Radisson COO Chema Basterrechea on the group’s GCC strategy

Chema Basterrechea is the global president and chief operations officer of Radisson Hotel Group.

Chema Basterrechea is the global president and chief operations officer of Radisson Hotel Group, where he drives operations and profitability across more than 1,550 hotels in 100 countries.

With over three decades of experience in hospitality leadership, he has led turnarounds, M&A integrations, and new market strategies that boosted performance and brand growth.

After a recent trip to Dubai, he sat down with Gulf Business to explain how Radisson balances global strategy with regional agility, expands its GCC footprint, supports Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, and advances sustainability and talent development across the region.

You oversee Radisson Hotel Group’s global operations, including a portfolio of more than 1,550 hotels worldwide. Can you share the key priorities you focus on in this role, and how you balance global strategy with regional execution?

At Radisson Hotel Group, our global strategy is rooted in delivering exceptional value to our guests and strong returns to our hotel owners. We focus on operational efficiency, total revenue optimisation, and digital innovation to drive performance across our portfolio. By balancing global scale with regional agility, we ensure every property is empowered to meet local market needs while benefiting from our brand strength and centralised support. Our commitment to sustainable growth and owner-centric partnerships continues to shape a resilient, future-ready hospitality ecosystem.

You’ve recently been in Dubai — what were the main objectives of this visit? What did you take away from your meetings here in terms of opportunities for the brand and its partners?

Dubai continues to be a strategic hub for Radisson Hotel Group, especially as we expand our footprint across the Middle East, Africa, and Southeast Asia Pacific. My visit had three key objectives: conducting our annual Talent Review Meetings to map leadership potential and define career growth plans; reviewing the performance of our regional portfolio and aligning on next year’s targets; and connecting with our Area Teams while visiting newly opened hotels. What stood out was the energy and ambition of our teams on the ground, and the immense opportunity to scale our brand presence through strong owner partnerships, operational excellence, and tailored regional strategies. The momentum in these markets is undeniable, and we’re committed to unlocking even greater value for our guests and stakeholders.

The GCC continues to be a fast-growing region for hospitality. How would you describe its strategic importance for Radisson compared to other high-growth areas like Asia or Africa?

The GCC is one of our most strategic growth regions. We already have over 100 hotels operating or under development across the Middle East, including one of the largest international pipelines in Saudi Arabia. This makes the region both a core growth engine and a showcase market for us.

Governments are prioritising tourism as part of their diversification agendas, creating conditions for hospitality to grow faster here than almost anywhere else. While Asia and Africa offer strong long-term opportunities, the GCC stands out for its scale, ambition, and speed of investment.

For Radisson Hotel Group, this is the ideal market to expand our brands, launch flagship properties, and pilot innovative guest experiences in partnership with visionary owners.

With the opening of Radisson Blu Riyadh Al Sahafa and over 50 hotels in operation or development across Saudi Arabia, how do you see the Kingdom’s hospitality landscape evolving? What role do you see Radisson playing in Vision 2030’s tourism goals?

Saudi Arabia is undergoing a once-in-a-generation transformation. Vision 2030’s target of welcoming 150 million visitors annually is opening new opportunities in leisure, business, culture, and entertainment.

We are proud to be at the heart of this journey, with one of the largest international pipelines in the Kingdom. Our portfolio spans Radisson Collection, Radisson Blu, Radisson RED, and Park Inn by Radisson—ensuring we meet the needs of both domestic and international travellers.

Our role is clear: deliver hotels in primary cities, secondary hubs, and giga-project destinations that support the Kingdom’s ambition to diversify tourism and create long-term value for local communities and partners.

The GCC has a unique mix of owner profiles, regulatory frameworks, and guest expectations. How does Radisson adapt its operating model to meet these local dynamics while maintaining global brand consistency?

Agility is key. We combine global systems and brand standards with tailored solutions for local markets. Every owner in the region has unique investment goals—whether it’s a luxury resort or a midscale business hotel—so we adapt our operating model to deliver on those objectives while maintaining consistent Radisson quality worldwide.

At the same time, we customise guest experiences to reflect the region’s culture and expectations, from F&B concepts and wellness programmes to design choices. This balance allows us to stay true to our global identity while creating hotels that feel authentic and relevant to the GCC.

Radisson has set ambitious sustainability goals, including achieving net zero by 2050. How are you implementing these initiatives in the GCC, where climate and infrastructure challenges are different from other regions?

Sustainability is one of our key initiatives in our five-year plan, and the GCC is central to our “Move to Zero” journey. We’ve committed to cutting our carbon footprint by 46% by 2030 and achieving full net zero by 2050, with targets validated by the Science Based Targets initiative.

In the Middle East, we’ve already implemented innovative projects, such as the thermodynamic solar system at Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek, which combines solar panels with a heat pump to generate hot water and reduce reliance on traditional energy. We’re also rolling out EV charging, eliminating single-use plastics through on-site bottling plants, and ensuring new builds meet certifications like LEED, BREEAM, and EDGE.

The region faces unique challenges—high cooling demand and water scarcity—but also offers enormous opportunities through government investment in renewables. Our role is to make sustainable travel accessible, ensuring our hotels contribute positively to the environment and the region’s long-term vision.

With rapid expansion comes the challenge of building and retaining a strong workforce. What strategies are you using to develop local talent and ensure service standards keep pace with growth in the region?

We’ve committed to achieving 42% Saudi employment across our hotels by 2028, and we’re building the structures to make that happen. One of our key programmes is ABJAD, which helps Saudi nationals move from supervisory roles to management within 18 months. We’ve also launched the “Concierge Navigation to Success” programme to enhance the skills of Saudi concierge professionals, giving them the tools and resources they need for career advancement.

We’ve also introduced Radisson Academy micro-certifications to provide continuous learning and industry-recognised credentials. And we’re placing strong emphasis on female leadership development—I’m proud that 16% of our managerial roles in the Kingdom are now held by women, and we’re working hard to grow that number.

You led turnarounds and integrations at NH Hotel Group before RHG. What lessons from those M&A and restructuring experiences are you applying in the GCC today — in areas like owner alignment, brand portfolio discipline, and speed of execution?

One of the most powerful lessons from my time integrating companies with different cultures was the importance of embracing cultural diversity within a transforming organisation. In any integration or turnaround, you’re not just aligning systems and strategies—you’re harmonising mindsets, values, and ways of working. In the GCC, we’re applying those learnings by fostering a culture that blends global best practices with local agility. We focus on clear brand portfolio discipline to avoid overlapping and ensure each brand delivers distinct value. Speed of execution is critical, but it must be paired with owner alignment—ensuring our partners are fully engaged and see tangible returns. By extracting the best from each legacy and building a unified, performance-driven culture, we’re creating a stronger, more resilient company that’s fit for the future.

RHG has just rolled out a global payment-orchestration platform with CellPoint Digital. How will that change the guest journey and owner P&L in GCC markets—from local payment preferences and fraud control to authorisation rates and chargebacks?

In the GCC, flexibility and regional payment preferences are critical. Our platform integrates a wide range of trusted local methods alongside global options, so guests can pay in the way that feels most natural—whether that’s credit cards, digital wallets, or emerging fintech solutions—making the journey seamless and secure.

For owners, the benefits are just as strong: higher authorisation rates, stronger fraud protection, and fewer chargebacks translate directly into better profitability. Centralised reporting and settlement across multiple hotels also provide far greater visibility and control over cash flow.

In a region where travel demand is surging and digital adoption is accelerating, this platform allows us to deliver smoother, safer guest transactions while driving tangible financial value for our partners.

Operationally, RHG has centralised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and connected hundreds of hotels on Hotelkit. What tangible outcomes are you seeing in the Middle East—for example, faster onboarding, cross-property tasking, preventive maintenance compliance—and what’s next in your ops-tech stack?

From a communication perspective, Hotelkit has centralised internal messaging and the sharing of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), overcoming language barriers with multilingual support and video-based instructions. This ensures consistent brand standards across all Radisson brands. Operationally, RHG has centralised SOPs and connected hundreds of hotels on Hotelkit. This has led to tangible outcomes in the Middle East, such as faster onboarding, cross-property tasking, and preventive maintenance compliance.

In parallel we’re introducing AI in different workstreams:

• Personalised Guest Experiences: AI is being used to personalise the guest experience from check-in to check-out, embedded in our Radisson+ initiative. It acts as a concierge, assisting guests with information about hotel amenities, dining recommendations, and local attractions.

• Operational Efficiency: AI-driven tools are improving operational efficiency in hotels. These tools are used for inventory management, forecasting, and managing stock levels for items like linens and toiletries. AI algorithms also optimise housekeeping routes and schedules, ensuring rooms are cleaned and prepared with maximum efficiency.

• Customer Service and Interaction: AI chatbots on hotel websites and social media platforms provide instant responses to guest queries, improving the booking experience.

• AI-Driven Analytics: AI-driven analytics are being integrated into the ops-tech stack for preventive maintenance. This will help predict and address maintenance issues before they become significant problems, ensuring smoother operations and better guest experiences.